Vehicle-top support.



PATENTED SEPT. 1 1908.

T. R. CAMPBELL.

VEHICLE TOP SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1. 1901.

N0 MODEL.

fiomadfi. melfim el lforgeys Wiigzzsszs 15% UNITED STATES Patented September 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

VEHICLE-TOP SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,705, dated September 1, 1903.

Application filed November 1, 1901. Serial No. 80,793. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E; CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Marietta, in the county of Pickens,OhickasawNation,Southern JudicialDistrict, In dian Territory, have invented a new and useful Device or Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to springs for buggytops, and has for its object to produce a device of this character of simple construction which will be efiicient in operation, one which will sustain the shock due to the lowering of the buggy-top and obviate liability of the top bow being broken or otherwise damaged, and one in which the free end of the spring will have a movable connection with the rear bow to permit a relative movement of the parts as the spring expands,due to the weight of the top thereon.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel details of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating my improved device applied to a buggy-top, showing the latter open. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the top closed. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-sectional low on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the spring.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a buggy-top provided with the usual center bow 2, pivoted at its outer ends, as at 3, and front and rear bows 4, pivoted to the central bow. These parts may be of the ordinary or any 7 preferred construction,inasmuch as they form no part of my invention.

5 indicates my improved spring, consisting of a suitable length of spring metal bowed or curved longitudinally from end to end and having at one end a flattened perforated ear 6, disposed in a plane at right angles to the transverse axis of the spring and provided at its opposite end with an enlarged transverselycurved portion or head 7 and a relatively narrow extension, which is bent backward beneath the head 7 to form a longitudinallydisposed loop 8, which receives a strap or analogous attaching device 9, said strap being also extended through slots on perforations 10, formed through a leather cuff 11, adjacent to and parallel with its longitudinal edges, whereby the cuff, which is disposed upon the inner face of the head 7, is secured and maintained in position.

In attaching my improved spring to the buggy I pivot the same at its lower end by engaging the perforated ear 6 with the pivotal axis 3 of the central bow and connect the strap 9 around the rear bow 4 at the proper point between the ends of the latter, where by the outer end of the spring will be free for longitudinal sliding movement relative to said how, the cuff 11 serving under such conditions to prevent the head 7 of the spring scratching or otherwise marring the bow. From this it will be seen that when the buggy-top is moved from an open to a closed position the spring 5, which is arranged with its curve or how outwardly disposed, will contact at its center or adjacent thereto upon a suitable stop 12 upon the buggy-frame and will thereby receive the shock and weight of the top with a yielding or cushioning action, which will effectually prevent breaking or otherwise damaging the vehicle-bow. When the spring comes in contact with the stop 12, the former will be compressed toward the how 4, thus tending to distend the spring longitudinally, which action will be permitted, owing to the movable connection of the free end of the spring with the bow.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I produce a device which is comparatively simple of construct-ion, efficient in operation, and one which in practice will admirably per form its functions. In attaining these ends, however, it is to be understood that I do not wish to limit or confine myself to the precise details herein shown and described, inasmuch as minor changes may be made therein with out departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The combination with a vehicle-top having a pivoted sustaining-bow, of a longitudinally bowed spring having at one end a perforated ear pivotally engaging the pivotal axis of the bow and provided at its free end with an enlarged portion curved transversely to form a seat for the bow and an integral extension bent inward beneath the seat to form a longi V v In testimony whereof I have subscribed my tudinaily-disposed loop, a cufi disposed be name to this specification in the presence of tween the seat and bow, and a strap or' its two subscribing witnesses.

equivalent engaged through the loop and em- THOMAS E. CAMPBELL. 5 bracing the bow for movably attaching the Witnesses:

spring thereto, and a strap also engaging the D. G. BARTLETT,

cuffto secure the same in place. E. WHITE. 

